I Am Awake
by LuipaardJack
Summary: Togusa asks Batou a question, but then falls asleep before he can get his answer, much to Batou's disgruntlement. BatouTogusa, slight MajorBatou.
1. Spinning Blind

ALL HAIL BATOU/TOGUSA! W007!

And review, if you don't mind. _:pleading expression: _

* * *

"What kind of dreams do you have?" Togusa asks him. 

Batou snorts. "I don't even sleep."

"But you have dreams," Togusa insists. "You don't close your eyes, your breathing doesn't slow down --" Batou snorts again, but does not contradict him. "And your heart rate doesn't slow down either, not like mine does. But you still have dreams."

"You're not going to let this go, are you?"

Togusa smiles at him from his place on the couch: on his back, legs thrust carelessly in front of him, black shirt rumpled and pushed up to expose his navel with his smoky blue jacket fly-away and his head grounded on the armrest, staring up at Batou.

"No," he agrees. "I'm not."

Batou does not want to have this conversation. Not now, here in the briefing room, not later, in his car. He doesn't want to talk about the place he goes sometimes, when he is tired and needs rest, the place that has peace and quiet and dreams. So many kinds of dreams. He doesn't want to speak of it, and wishes that Togusa would let it lie.

"Why are you so interested?" he asks waspishly, and immediately wishes his tone had been different.

A hurt expression crosses Togusa's face and darkens his eyes, which are the color of molten gold. "Just curious," he says and sounds unhappy.

Batou sighs. "I don't remember," he lies. "I never remember my dreams. Probably a good thing."

Togusa is falling asleep. Batou knows he is; his friend would never let himself be seen so vulnerably otherwise. "Liar," Togusa mutters, eyelids beginning to fall.

Batou scowls at him, and it makes Togusa smile.

"Honest -- what do you dream about?" Togusa's voice begins to acquire a dreamy quality to it. Batou feels an odd chill run down his spine, which he knows is ridiculous -- he is artificial; he controls what his body does.

He does not answer the question; Togusa does not ask again. Either asleep, or simply too drowsy to be bothered, Batou cannot tell which.

He just wishes that Togusa did not look so relaxed, so calm and reposed. That his muscled stomach with its pale, flawed skin (and those flaws, everywhere on his body, somehow make him more beautiful than Major, who is perfect like a little bisque doll and just as cold) was not exposed to the air, that his face was not so warm and open. That he was not so very...

"You," Batou admits. "I dream about you."

But Togusa is asleep, and does not hear.


	2. Should Have and Maybe

**Byrnstar** - Thanks for reviewing! Yeah...it is kind of saddening that Batou doesn't want to share, but you have to understand that he's really a very private person. "That place" is important to him, as it's one of the few places where he can really relax. Also, it isn't sleep, per say. It's more like Batou goes into a deep meditation; this chapter goes over that a little.

**Zurizip** - Gosh -- punch line? _:laughs:_ It took me a while to figure out what you are talking about... I think of "punch lines" such as that more as the "Ah-ha" moment...which doesn't make much sense, but then you're right; there is a lack of a better "word."

**qirien** - Ah, thanks! _:grin:_

**The-Anibee** - There more in the works, kid! Stay tuned _:evil laugh:_

**priss** - I'm actually writing one on a paper medium right now, but it probably won't get posted for a while; I've discovered several fatal flaws, and have to re-write the damn thing from the ground up.

**Kitomi** - This is funny, eh? _:bemused:_ Not quite the effect I wanted, but whatever floats your boat. _:grin: _Also, about Togusa's eyes... THEY REALLY ARE GOLD! Re-watch TRIAL (Sexiest. Togusa episode. EVER.) and LOOK at his eyes! I re-watched it three million times because I couldn't believe what I was seeing, but his eyes really are gold colored!

**Skylo** - You're kind of missing the point. Yeah, I could have written it in past tense, but then it wouldn't have delivered the kind of punch I was going for. _:shrug:_ Well, this one's written in the past tense. _:grin:_

* * *

_An aching sweetness on his tongue, from moving lips and roaming hands; Togusa's squirming hips are locked between his thighs, his leather belt undone, and the natural man is making harsh animal noises that speak to an tiny, ancient part of Batou's mind. _

_Batou's fingers dig into the skin under Togusa's shirt, and he reads his body -- core temperature skyrocketing, heart racing, blood pressure increasing dangerously fast, respiration shallow and rapid, and all the while Batou is amazed that Togusa has barely any control over the functions his body is performing._

_Sex. Such a short simple word. Short and simple for something that can be so drawn out and complicated. _

* * *

The first thing Batou heard when he came out the place that held rest and dreams, but was not sleep, was Togusa's even breathing. 

Oh. Right.

Togusa had fallen asleep. Fallen asleep and curled up in a ball, and left enough room for Batou to sit down beside him and...sleep? Doze? Meditate?

He didn't know what.

"_You.__I dream about you."_

Batou leaned over his friend, and was startled to see his wolf-gold eyes snap open.

Togusa was silent for a moment before he said, "I dream about you, too."


	3. Fell From So High

**For The-Anibee, who waited, helped, and endured all the bitching sessions. This one's for you!**

**A/N: This part takes place later in the future, and works on the assumption that Togusa's family was killed soon after 2nd Gig.**

* * *

The blaring alarm did not survive its brief trip to the wall. Batou grunted in satisfaction as the pieces scattered and pulled the quilts more tightly around him.

"That was the last alarm clock, you know." Togusa's voice was muffled by his pillow.

"I care?" Batou snaked his arm around Togusa's bare waist and pulled his natural body flush again Batou's artificial one. Then he pressed his face into the thick mane of hair. "You need a haircut."

"Quit complaining, you know you like it."

Batou snorted softly, the rush of air tickling the back of Togusa's neck. But he didn't care to deny the comment.

After a moment he asked, "And what did you dream about?"

Togusa snickered. "I didn't do much sleeping, now did I?"

"You did some." Batou kissed the back of his neck.

Togusa traced patterns on the back of the cyborg's hand and shrugged. "The usual," he said quietly.

Batou's grip tightened.

"It wasn't as bad this time around."

"These nightmares aren't going to stop. Are they."

A statement. Not a question. Togusa answered anyway. "I don't think so."

Batou hugged him swiftly. "I love you," he said.

Togusa hugged him back. "I know."

* * *

**I realize that this was very short...But I don't believe in trying to draw something out when everything that there is to be said has been said. Thank you for reviewing everyone!**


End file.
